Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
The part of me that spends way too much time on Twitter wants to give this the ‘No Shit, Sherlock’ award of the day, but what the hell: Sue Rostoni (when asked) says that the Big 3’s last adventure “isn’t happening in this contract period.” Not even for Stover.
(At least he didn’t ask about Zahn?)
This morning, NJOE posted about a listing they’d found for a James Luceno Darth Plagueis novel scheduled for 2012. I was doubtful (after all, the book was canceled) but it was brought to the VIP thread, where Sue confirmed that the book has indeed risen from the dead:
Yes, apparently a database has leaked this upcoming hardcover that will follow Palpatine’s rise to power and his Master, Plagueis. “Not Yet Published” should have read: “Not Yet Announced.”
I’m very hesitant about this: I believe that Palpatine’s backstory, like Yoda’s, is one the EU should give a wide berth, and I can’t fathom that it’s possible to do that effectively with story of his Sith Master.
(Of course, given what I really want out of this story, it’s probably for the best that I don’t make these decisions.)
Sue also said this book is not the replacement for Imperial Commando #2 (we might hear more on that next week) and that no more adult Clone Wars novels are planned through the end of the current contract.
It’s a lonely week, but at least there’ll be one thing waiting for the comic geeks on Wednesday: Invasion: Rescues #3.
Someone got stabbed with a pen in Hall H this evening; There’s a report from San Diego’s NBC affiliate and Comic Book Resources and Entertainment Weekly are on the case. (Harrison Ford is not a suspect.) The rumors have been flying over Twitter, including allegations that seat-squatting (a common practice) was a factor.
In the wake of our first glimpse at the cover, StarWars.com has a clearer look and the blurb for John Jackson Miller’s Knight Errant paperback.
Our own intrepid JawaJames is at the con, and he caught up with author Sean Williams, whose The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance has just been released. They talk about the NJO, continuity (pay attention, Wookieepedians) characters, The Force Unleashed and blogging!
(You can check out James’ SDCC photos, too!)
So much for there being no EU news out of Comic-Con… Comic Book Resources reports that editor Randy Stradley revealed that there will be eight new Star Wars series in 2011, including something Vader-centric from Hayden Blackmen:
Most will be revealed at Star Wars Celebration, but Stradley said Blackman will be writing a Darth Vader series. “It chronicles one of Vader’s greatest failures ever,” the editor said. Vader then lit up his lightsaber and choked Stradley using The Force.
I suspect most of those – including the Vader one – are actually mini-series, but time (and Celebration) will tell.
San Diego Comic-Con is here, and StarWars.com has snapshots from Preview night. (Watch their Flickr for stuff from today/tonight.) Of special note for EU fans: The cover to John Jackson Miller’s Knight Errant novel. Newsflash: It snows.
The geek girls panel was this evening, but I’m not seeing any reports just yet… It did launch a hashtag, though.
Obi-Wan and Anakin are still stuck on Lanteeb, a planet far in the Outer Rim and of seeming little consequence. The Lanteebans pose no apparent strategic value to the Republic or Separatists; it’s an attitude that grossly misjudges the efforts of captured scientist Bant’ena Fhernan. She’s been hired to construct a virus to end all viruses, a massive biological weapon that will sway the war in Dooku’s favor, but getting materials for it isn’t easy. The key ingredient, damotite, lays deep within the sinuous mines of Lanteeb and Separatist overseer Lok Durd rides the locals hard with threats of drastic food and water rationing if his unreasonable quota and timetable aren’t met.
Against all impossibilities, the Lanteeban’s work furiously every day, risking damotite poisoning to please Durd. When Anakin and Obi-Wan crash their vehicle and end up stranded in the mining city responsible for churning out the dangerous material, the two are welcomed only as long as the villagers don’t know they’re Jedi. Naturally, an invading droid army and a failing shield barrier that forces the pair to use the Force for self preservation were probably unavoidable inevitabilities. Continue reading “Review: Karen Miller’s Clone Wars Gambit: Siege“
In stores today is the first novel tie-in to The Old Republic MMO, Sean Williams’ Fatal Alliance. Meanwhile, comic fans and younglings can head out Wednesday for The Will of Darth Vader, an Adventures trade written by Invasion’s Tom Taylor.
First look. The Jedi Path comes in a vault. What? Yeah. Or: “Passed down from Master to Padawan, the pages of this venerable text have been annotated by those who have held it, studied it, and lived its secrets.” Since we’re living in the real world, I like Dan Wallace’s explanation: ” It’s supposed to look like an in-universe artifact that fell through a rabbit hole from the galaxy far, far away.” It is an interesting concept, but mostly I just fear what the Jedi Church will make of it.
Hey hey hey, goodbye. Yes, it’s official: There will be no Imperial Commando 2. (It was probably a lose-lose sans Traviss anyway.)
Namesake corner. Sideshow is teasing about a Mara Jade figure again. They like the Adam Hughes painting! (Sigh.) At least she’s not doing laundry?
Comics! Preview the October solicitations, including Knight Errant #1. Which just so happens to be on the cover of August’s Previews.
Interview. Paul Kemp (Crosscurrent) on Fictional Frontiers